Corner construction



March 11, 1941. H. T. LYMAN CORNER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 22, 1958 v l'u `g me. m5 ZZ INVENTOR HARO/.p 7.' YM/4N.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE 2,234,701 CORNER ooNsTnUorIoN Jersey Application November Z2, 1938, Serial No. 241,786

l1 Claims.

My invention relates to corner constructions for panels formed of wall-board and the like and particularly to corner constructionswhich serve to present a surface to which wall paper, paint,

fabric or other fiexiblewall covering material may be applied without using the usual corner molding and without danger of cracks being formed in the corners on expansion and contraction or other relative movement of the panels, forming the corner.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide sealing strips for covering the seams between wallboards laid edge to Aedge on a iiat surface and in some instances such strips have been used in corners. However, strips of this type are secured to the surface of the wall-boards throughout those portions thereof which they overlie. While this does not present any serious difficulties when applying a flexible wall covering to a fiat surface wherein the strips and wall paper or paint may bulge outward over the seam on expansion and be stretched flat on contraction of the wallboards, the problem presented in the corners of a room or between the walls and ceiling where the wall-boards meet at an angle is much more diiiicult of solution. In such locations any bulging of the strips and paper tends to produce unsightly wrinkles in the corner whereas on contraction of the wall boards, since the adjacent portions of the strip and of wall paper lie in diiferent planes, the strips tear or break producing cracks in the corner or the wall paper is left unsupported so that it is easily punctured.

In order to distribute the strains exerted upon a rigid wall covering such as plaster, due to relative movement of wall boards, it has been proposed heretofore to employ a strip of material which is only secured to adjacent panels at points spaced from the edges thereof. However, such constructions are only applicable to fiat surfaces and if used in corners fail to prevent cracking of plaster or other rigid materials.

In contrast with constructions of the prior art i have found that the tearing or cracking of iiexible wall covering materials such as wall paper, paint, fabric or the like can be prevented by the use of a corner strip which is sufficiently iiexible to permit limited distortion thereof such that tearing or cracking of the wall covering and strip will not occur while at the same time the general contour of the corner is preserved and the material supported against puncture or in- Jury.

My invention may take various forms but the `preferred embodiments thereof herein described (Cl. Y2-121) in each case comprise a laminated strip having a layer of reinforcing material and a layer of attaching material. The reinforcing material may be sheet metal, fabric, felt, paper or any other suitable material possessing sufficient strength and flexibility to prevent tearing or cracking of the strip while permitting the necessary iieXing thereof to ailow for relative movement of the wall boards. The attaching material serves to secure the strip to the wall-boards and to present a surface for receiving the wall paper, paint or other flexible wall covering material to be applied to the walls. The attaching material may be formed of paper, cellophane, metal foil, fabric or other thin flexible material.

The attaching member of the strip is secured to the wall-boards along the marginal edges of the strip at points spaced from and on opposite sides of the corner while the reinforcing member and the intermediate portion of the strip conform generally to the shape of the corner but are free to move relative the corner and toward and away from the wall-boards. This movement of the intermediate or floating portion of the strip serves to allow for relative movement of the boards while preventing the strip or wall paper from being placed under any lateral strain tending to tear or crack the wall covering material. In this way relative movement of the wall-boards is compensated by flexing of the strip and of the layer of wall paper, paint or other flexible wall covering applied over the strip without producing wrinkles or cracks in the material or presenting any unsupported areas which might be easily punctured or broken,

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel form of corner construction for panels such as wall-boards whereby wall paper, paint or other IieXible wall covering material may be applied thereto without resorting to the use of a molding strip in the corners.

Another object of the invention is to provide a corner strip adapted for use in the corners of a room, for example, in vertical corners where the walls meet at an angle or in horizontal corners where the ceiling and walls meet at an angle and particularly in structures formed of panels such as wall-board, the invention serving to prevent cracking of wall paper, paint or other iiexible wall covering material applied thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a laminated strip for use in forming corners of wall-board, which strip embodies a layer of reinforcing material and a layer of attaching material.

Another object of my invention is to form corners of Wall-board with a strip the marginal edges of which are secured to the Wall-board at points spaced from and on opposite sides of the corner and the intermediate portions of which conform generally to the corner but are capable of flexing and movement relative to the wallboards forming the corner without placing a strain upon flexible wall covering material applied over the wall-board and strip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a corner structure having ilexible wall covering material applied thereto with means forming a floating flexible support for the wall covering adapted to be deformed upon relative movement of the structure and wall covering material.

These and other objects and features of my invention will appear from the following description thereof in which reference is made to representative embodiments thereof illustrated in the figures of the drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a portion of a corner construction embodying my invention with parts thereof broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of a ceiling and side Wall construction embodying a corner strip simil-ar to that illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an alternative form of corner construction embodying my invention;

Figs. 4 land 5 are sectional views of alternative forms of strips adapted for luse in the practice of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a construction embodying my invention; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical embodiment of my invention as applied to an out-corner.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 wall-boards 2 and 4 are secured to supporting members 6 and 8 by means of glue, nails or other securing means to form a corner. As shown :the edge I0 of the Wall-board 2 lies closely adjacent lthe face of the wall-board 4 but on expansion and contraction the wall-boards may move to the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 2 so that a crack or slight space, indicated at I2, is formed at .the corners and Will vary in Width upon relative movement of the w-all-boards.

In forming a corner in accordance with my invention a corner strip indicated generally at I4 is employed and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a laminated structure including a floating reinforcing member I6 made of thin copper or other reinforcing material and an attaching member I8 is made of material which serves to provide a suitable base for the application of flexible wall covering material such as paint or wall paper. The reinforcing member is cemented or otherwise secured to the attaching member at points spaced from the edges of the attaching member and may be bent to the desired angle, usually degrees, to conform to the shape of the corner. The marginal edges of the attaching member I8 are attached to the wall-boards 2 and 4 leaving the .copper reinforcing member free to move with reference to the wall-boards to compensate for any expansion or contraction of the wall-boards.

The reinforcing member may be formed of any suitable material which is thin and flexible and yet possesses suilcient strength to prevent puncturing of the strip or tearing or cracking thereof. For this purpose I prefer to use sheet material such as thin sheet metal, kraft paper or strong fabric such as woven screen, ducking, canvas or the like. Sheet copper approximately .001 inch in thickness has been found to -be particularly suitable for this purpose because it is thinner than ordinary paper and yet possesses the requisite flexibility and strength to support the wall covering material.

The attaching member I8 preferably is formed of paper, Cellophane, fabric, metal f-oil or other suitable material which is thin and flexible and presents an exposed surface capable of serving as a base for an overlying layer of wall paper, paint or other flexible Wall covering material such as th-at indicated at 20. The attaching member While thin should be suiiciently strong to support the reinforcing member and yet possess that degree of flexibility necessary to permit relative movement of the wall-boards 2 and 4 and of the reinforcing member without buckling or ltearing of the attaching member.

The `attaching member I8 is secured to the adjacent outer face of the reinforcing member I6 and is attached to the wall-boards 2 and 4 only in the areas 22 and 24 adjacent the marginal edges of the attaching member and parallel to but on opposite sides of the corner. For this purpose the marginal edges `of the strip may have glue or other adhesive applied to the rear face thereof throughout the areas 22 and 24 although of course, the adhesive may be applied to the Wall-boards instead, if this is preferred. In either cla-se, as shown in Fig. 2, the portions 22 and 24 of the attaching member I8 are secured to the Wall-boards 2 and 4 so as to move therewith on expansion and contraction of the wall-boards. The reinforcing member I6 is secured to the intermediate portion of the attaching member between portions 22 Aand 24 and therefore is movable relative to .the adjacent surfaces of Ithe wall-boards so that .the intermediate portion of the attaching member and the reinforcing member constitute a floating corner or portions of the strip. On expansion of the wallboar-ds the attaching member I8 moves .therewith carrying reinforcing member I6 into the corner whereby its form is altered sufficiently to compensate for the movement of the wall-boards. Thus on expansion the strip I4 may assume the form indicated in dotted lines at 26 Whereas on contraction of the wall-boards the strip may assume a position such as that indicated by the dotted line 28. The positions 26' and 28 and the rthickness of the laminations of which the strip is formed are of .course exaggerated in the various gures ofthe drawing in order to render the construction and operation more clear. In actual practice the reinforcing material and attaching material generally are of the order of, say one to a few thousandth-s of an inch in thickness and the expansion seldom if ever exceeds of an inch. For this reason the amount of flexing and distortion of the attaching member and reinforcing member is in fact extremely limited :and is scarcely observable even on close inspection.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Fig, 3 a reinforcing member 30 which may be similar to the reinforcing member I6 of Figs. 1 and 2 is secured .to attaching means which are in the form of two strips 32 which may be applied separately to the reinforcing member 30 and which need only bey secured to the margin-al portions 34 of the reinforcing member. The outer edges or extremities 36 of the members 32 and 34 are secured to the Wall-boards 38 as in that form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

As illustrated in Fig. 4 corner strips embodying my invention may be composed of more than two laminae, that illustrated having 4three layers indicated at 40, 42 and 44, with the member 4l] of `less Width than the member 42 and the latter member 4of less width than the member 44. In this way la tapered edge effect is yobtained and by using .thin material in forming the layer 44 it is possible to provide a relatively thick and strong strip and at the same time to eliminate :all unevenness in the paper or paint applied over the strip and iadjacent the marginal edges thereof. This vconstruction is particularly adapted for use when employing reinforcing material in the form of kraft paper or light fabric which may not possess the requisite strength in single layers but which is strong and flexible in laminated structures.

The member 4i! and to some extent the member 42 constitute the reinforcing member whereas the marginal portion of the member 44 and in some cases the marginal portion of the member 42 are provided with adhesive 45 so that they may be secured to the wall-boards to serve as the attaching member for holding the strip in place.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a form of corner strip embodying my invention in which the reinforcing member 4@ is formed of fabric which may be light woven wire cloth, ducking, canvas, or other material, Whereas the attaching member 48 may be formed of any suitable sheet material similar to those employed in the modifications of my invention described above, namely, paper, Cellophane, metal foil, fabric, or other thin exible material. An adhesive i9 is applied to the edges of the attaching member for securing the strips in place. When the reinforcing mate rial 4t? is relatively thin and light or is so flexible as to permit sagging of the strip in the center it is sometimes desirable to apply a further layer di! of material to the strip to impart the necessary stiffness and add to the strength of the strip in the corner portion to prevent any buckling or wrinkling of the strip or the occurrence of any unsupported surface wherein punctures might occur readily.

In forming a corner in accordance with my invention the strip may simply be attached to the wall-boards at its marginal edges and present a rounded surface, which, as shown in Fig. 6, is capable of flexing to the dotted line positions indicated, on relative movement of the wall-boards. However, I generally prefer to form the corner by creasing the strip lengthwise before it is secured in place, after which the portions 22 and 24 of the attaching member (Fig. 2) which serve to secure the strip to the wall-boards are glued or otherwise fastened to the wall-boards while the angularly formed strip is held in the corner. In the alternative and particularly when the corner is slightly uneven or irregular the strip may be made to conform accurately to the Wall by holding it in place and pressing it into the corner by means of a triangular block or other element which serves to shape it to the wallboards. In using the construction of Fig. 3 the reinforcing member Sil may be shaped and placed in the corner and the strips 32 and 34 then applied to the wall-boards and to the exposed surface of the reinforcing strip so that the strip is in fact assembled in place. The strips made may be made up in any desired length and supplied in rolls or in predetermined lengths and may be shipped in Iiatform or folded lengthwise so that when used they need only be opened out before applying the same to a corner.

In Fig. '7 of the drawing I have illustrated diagrammatically a typical form of my invention as applied to an out-corner formed of wallboards 36 and 38 presenting a convex surface to the outer face of which is applied a strip embodying a floating reinforcing member 4l) and an attaching member 42 the marginal edges only of which are secured to the wall-boards. Flexible wall covering material 44 is applied over the wallboards and strip so as to be secured to the exposed surfaces thereof while the reinforcing member is cemented or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the attaching member 40 and is free to move with respect to the wall-boards so as to assume a position such as that indicated in dotted lines at 4t on expansion of the wallboards and to be drawn into closer proximity to the wall-boards on contraction thereof.

In using my invention in forming corners of panels or walbboards which are moistened or otherwise treated to cause them to expand prior to application, the corner strips may be applied to the wall-boards when they are first secured in place and while still in an expanded condition. Thereafter, upon contraction of the wall-boards in drying out or assuming a norma1 condition the reinforcing member is held slightly away from the surface of the wall-boards and in a floating position such as that illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2. Thereafter expansion and contraction of the wall-boards may take place without placing any undue strain upon the corner strip or` the flexible wall covering material. When the wall-boards as first applied are not in an expanded condition the flexibility of the reinforcing material and attaching member are such as to permit sufficient flexing of the strip between the marginal portions 2E and 24 which are attached to the wallboards and the corner where the wall-boards meet to prevent the formation of any cracks or breaks in the wall paper or paint applied over the strip.

While my invention has been herein described as employed in the vertical corners of rooms and as applied to an in-corner it will be evident that the invention is equally applicable to the horizontal corners such as those formed by the walls and ceiling of a room or to out-corners formed of wall-boards or panels of material and therefore this fact should be borne in mind in interpreting the claims of the application.

It will be apparent from the foregoing descripv scope of my invention. In View thereof it should be understood that those forms of my invention herein described and shown in the drawing are intended to be illustrative of my invention and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

I claim:

l. A laminated strip adapted to be applied to corners formed of panels, wall-board or the like to present a surface to which wall paper or other flexible wall covering material may be applied, said strip comprising an attaching member and a reinforcing member, the attaching member having a surface to which wall covering material may be applied, the opposite surface of said attaching member having marginal portions adapted to be secured to wall-boards and an intermediate portion between the attaching portions adapted when the strip is in use to move with respect to said wall-boards, said reinforcing member being secured to the intermediate portion of said attaching member with its edges spaced from the marginal portions of the attaching member whereby when said strip is applied to a corner the reinforcing member will be movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said Wall-boards.

2. A laminated strip adapted to be applied to corners formed of panels, wall-board or the like to present a surface to which wall paper or other exible wall covering material may be applied, said strip comprising an attaching member formed of thin flexible material presenting a surface to which wall covering material may be applied, the opposite surface of the attaching member having edges adapted to be secured at its edges to the wall-board and an intermediate portion between said edges adapted when the strip is in use to move with respect to said wall-boards and a reinforcing member formed of strong flexible material narrower than the attaching member and secured to the attaching member between the edges thereof whereby said reinforcing member may move with the attaching member relative to said wall-boards, said strip being shaped to conform generally to the contour of the corner to which it is to be applied.

3. A laminated strip adapted to be applied to corners formed of panels, wall-board or the like to present a surface to which wall paper 0r other flexible wall covering material may be applied, said strip comprising an attaching member formed of thin flexible material presenting a surface to which wall covering material may be applied, the opposite surface of the attaching member having marginal portions adapted to be secured to said wall-boards and an intermediate portion between the attaching portions adapted when the strip is in use to move relative to said wall-boards, and a reinforcing member formed of thin flexible sheet metal, said reinforcing member being secured to the intermediate portion of said opposite surface of the attaching member with its edges spaced from the marginal edges of the attaching member whereby when said strip is applied to a corner the reinforcing member will be movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said wall-boards, said reinforcing member being capable of being shaped to conform generally to the contour of the corner to which it is to be applied and to yieldably retain substantially the shape which it is given.

4. A laminated strip adapted to be applied to corners formed of panels, wall-board or the like to present a surface to which wall paper or other flexible wall covering material to be applied, said strip comprising an attaching member formed of thin flexible material presenting a surface to which wall covering material may be applied, the opposite surface of the attaching member having marginal portions adapted to be secured to said wall-boards and an intermediate portion between the attaching portions adapted when the strip is in use to move relative to said wall-boards and a reinforcing member formed of light flexible woven material, said reinforcing member being secured to the intermediate portion of said opposite surface of the attaching member with its edges spaced from the marginal edges of the attaching member whereby when said strip is applied to a corner the reinforcing member will be movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said wall-boards, said reinforcing member being capable of being shaped to conform generally to the contour of the corner to which it is to be applied.

5. A laminated strip adapted to be applied to corners formed of panels, wall-board or the like to present a surface to which wall paper or other flexible wall covering material may be applied, said strip comprising an attaching member formed of thin flexible material presenting a surface to which wall covering material may be applied, the opposite surface of the attaching member having marginal portions adapted to be secured to said wall-boards and an intermediate portion between the attaching portions adapted when the strip is in use to move relative to said wall-boards and a reinforcing member formed of kraft paper secured to the intermediate portion of said opposite surface of the attaching member with its edges spaced from the marginal edges of the attaching member whereby when said strip is applied to a corner the reinforcing member will be movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said wall-boards, said reinforcing member being capable of being shaped to conform generally to the contour of the corner to which it is to be applied.

6. In a structure having a corner formed of Wall-board or the like and having flexible wall covering material applied over the wallboards, the combination of means for preventing tearing, cracking or injury of the wall covering material in said corner comprising a strip of material located beneath the wall covering material and over the wall-boards in the corner and embodying an attaching member presenting a surface to which said wall covering material is secured, said attaching member having the marginal portion thereof secured to the Wall-boards at points spaced from said corner and on opposite sides thereof and having the intermediate portion thereof free from said wall-boards and movable with respect thereto, and a reinforcing member secured to said intermediate portion of the attaching member with its edges spaced from those portions of the attaching member which are secured to said wall-board whereby the reinforcing member is movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said wallboards.

7. In a structure having a corner formed of wall-board or the like and having flexible wall covering material applied over the wall-boards, the combination of means for preventing tearing, cracking or injury of the wall covering material in said corner comprising a strip of material located beneath the wall covering material and over the wall-boards in the corner and embodying an attaching member presenting a surface to which said wall covering material is secured, said attaching member having the marginal portions thereof secured to the wall-boards at points spaced from said corner and on opposite sides thereof and having the intermediate portion thereof free from said wall-boards and movable with respect thereto, and a reinforcing member shaped to conform generally to the contour of the wall-boards in the corner but movable with respect to the wall-boards, said reinforcing member being secured to said intermediate portion of the attaching member with its edges spaced from those portions of the attaching member which are secured to said wall-boards whereby the reinforcing member is movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said wall-boards.

8. In a structure having a corner formed of wall-board or the like and havingfiexible wall covering material applied over the wall-boards, the combination or means for preventing tearing, cracking or injury of the wall covering material in said corner comprising a strip of material located beneath the wall covering material and over the wall-boards in the corner and embodying an attaching member presenting a surface to which said Wall covering material is secured, said attaching member having the marginal portions thereof secured to the wall-boards at points spaced from said corner and on opposite sides thereof and having the intermediate portion thereof free from said Wall-boards and movable with respect thereto, and a reinforcing member formed or thin flexible sheet metal secured to said intermediate portion of the attaching member with its edges spaced from those portions of the attaching member which are secured tosaid wall-boards whereby the reinforcing member is movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said Wall-boards.

9. In a structure having a corner formed of wall-board or the like and having iiexible wall covering material applied over the wall-boards, the combination of means for preventing tearing, cracking, or injury of the wall covering material in said corner comprising a strip of material located beneath the Wall covering material and over the Wall-boards in the corner and embodying an attaching member presenting an outer surface to which said wall covering material is secured, said attaching member having the marginal portions thereof secured to the wall-boards at points spaced from said corner and on opposite sides thereof and having the intermediate portion thereof free from the wall-boards and movable with respect thereto, and a reinforcing member formed of flexible Woven material secured to said intermediate portion of the attaching member with its edges spaced from those portions of the attaching member which are secured to said wall-boards whereby the reinforcing member is movable with the intermediate portion of the attaching member relative to said wall-boards.

10. In a structure having a corner formed of wall-board or the lilte and having flexible Wall covering material applied. over the wall-boards, the combina n of means for preventing tearing, cracking, or ci' the wall covering material in said corner comprising a st of material located beneath wall cove g material and over the wall-boards in the corner and embodying an attaching member presenting an outer surface to which s d Wall. covering material is secured, said attaching member having the marginal portions thereof secured to the wall-boards at points spaced from said corner and on opposite sides thereof and having the intermediate portion thereof free from said wall-boards and Inovable with respect thereto, and a reinforcing member formed of kraft paper secured to said intermediate portion o the attaching member with its edges spaced from those portions of the attaching member which are secured to said wallboards whereby the reinforcing member is movable with the intermediate portion of the attachtaching member relative to said wall-boards.

ll. In a structure having a corner formed of wall-boards and the like and having exible wall covering material applied over the wall-boards, the combination of means for preventing tearing, cracking, or injury of the wall covering material in said corner comprising a laminated strip formed of a plurality of layers of material of progressively decreasing width, said strip being located beneath said wall covering material and over the wall-boards with that layer of material which is of greatestn Width having the marginal portions thereof secured to the wall-boards at points spaced from the corner and on opposite sides thereof and having the intermediate portion thereof free from said wall-boards and movable with respect thereto, the narrowest layer of said strip being secured to the intermediate portion or said laver of greatest width with its edges spaced from those portions of the layer of greatest width which are secured to the wall-boards whereby the narrowest layer of the strip is movable with the intermediate portion of the widest .7;

layer of the strip relative to said wall-boards.

HAROLD T. LYIWAN. 

